A JOINT MEMORIAL
REQUESTING THE STATE HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT
TO DIRECT ITS EFFORTS AND FEDERAL FUNDING TOWARD MAKING PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE
TRAFFIC SAFER AND CREATING SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS.
WHEREAS, New Mexico has the
nation's highest pedestrian fatality rate; and
WHEREAS, New Mexico has the
nation's sixth highest bicyclist fatality rate; and
WHEREAS, children who walk and
ride bicycles are among the groups that are more at risk from unsafe streets;
and
WHEREAS, many of New Mexico's
communities lack sidewalks, bicycle paths, street crossings or other elements
necessary to provide safe routes to schools; and
WHEREAS, the federal government
provides millions of dollars to New Mexico through the federal surface
transportation program and the federal hazard elimination program to pay for
non-construction costs aimed at reducing injuries and deaths from motor vehicle
accidents and to resolve safety problems at hazardous locations and roads that
constitute a danger to motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists; and
WHEREAS, decreases in
fatalities among pedestrians and bicyclists are more often attributable to
students walking and riding bicycles less and riding in cars more often; and
WHEREAS, the surgeon general
observed that seventy-eight percent of children are not active enough; one in
five children is overweight or at risk of becoming overweight; and one in three
teenagers is overweight or at risk of becoming overweight; and
WHEREAS, safer routes to school
can provide the ability to increase pedestrian and bicycle traffic to help
students get more regular exercise;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED
BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the state highway and
transportation department be requested to direct more of its efforts and
federal funding on improving bicycle and pedestrian access and on
traffic-calming projects in school zones rather than simply building and
widening intersections; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the
state highway and transportation department work with its bicycle, pedestrian and
equestrian committee, with school districts and law enforcement agencies and
with parents, teachers and school administrators to develop innovative programs
and initiatives to create safe routes to school; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the
state highway and transportation department present its findings and
recommendations to the appropriate interim legislative committee by October 30,
2003; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a
copy of this memorial be transmitted to the state highway and transportation
department.